NAME: Henry W. Hartsfield, Jr. (Mr.)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born in Birmingham, Alabama, on November 21, 1933. His
mother, Mrs. Norma Hartsfield, resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Silver hair; hazel eyes; 5 feet 10 inches; 165 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from West End High School, Birmingham, Alabama; received
a bachelor of science degree in Physics at Auburn University in 1954; performed
graduate work in physics at Duke University and in astronautics at the Air
Force Institute of Technology; and awarded a master of science degree in
engineering science from the University of Tennessee in 1971.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Judy Frances Massey of Princeton, North
Carolina.
CHILDREN: Two daughters: Judy Lynn, May 29, 1958; Keely Warren, May 14, 1959.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal; the General
Thomas D. White Space Trophy for 1973 (1974). Inducted into Alabama Aviation
Hall of Fame (1983). Distinguished Civilian Service Award (DOD) (1982). NASA
Distinguished Service Medals (1982,1988). NASA Space Flight Medals (1982,
1984, 1985). NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1988). Honorary Doctor of
Science degree from Auburn University (1986).
EXPERIENCE: Hartsfield received his commission through the Reserve Officer
Training Program (ROTC) at Auburn University. He entered the Air Force in
1955, and his assignments have included a tour with the 53rd Tactical Fighter
Squadron in Bitburg, Germany. He is also a graduate of the USAF Test Pilot
School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and was an instructor there prior
to his assignment in 1966 to the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) Program
as an astronaut. After cancellation of the MOL Program in June 1969, he was
reassigned to NASA.
He has logged over 7,300 hours flying time -- of which over 6,150 hours are in
the following jet aircraft: F-86, F-100, F-104, F-105, F-106, T-33, and T-38.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Hartsfield became a NASA astronaut in September 1969. He was
a member of the astronaut support crew for Apollo 16 and served as a member of
the astronaut support crew for the Skylab 2, 3, and 4 missions.
Hartsfield retired in August 1977 from the United States Air Force with more
than 22 years of active service but continues his assignment as a NASA
astronaut in a civilian capacity. He was a member of the orbital flight test
missions group of the astronaut office and was responsible for supporting the
development of the Space Shuttle entry flight control system and its associated
interfaces.
Hartsfield served as backup pilot for STS-2 and STS-3, Columbia's second and
third orbital flight tests. A three flight veteran, Hartsfield served as pilot
on STS-4 in 1982, and was spacecraft commander on STS 41-D in 1984, and STS
61-A in 1985.
Hartsfield was the pilot on STS-4, the fourth and final orbital test flight of
the Shuttle Columbia, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on
June 27, 1982. He was accompanied by Thomas K. Mattingly (spacecraft
commander) on this seven-day mission designed to: further verify ascent and
entry phases of shuttle missions; perform continued studies of the effects of
long-term thermal extremes on the Orbiter subsystems; and conduct a survey of
Orbiter-induced contamination on the orbiter payload bay. Additionally, the
crew operated several scientific experiments located in the Orbiter's cabin as
well as in the payload bay. These experiments included the Continuous Flow
Electrophoresis System (CFES), designed to investigate the separation of
biological materials in a fluid according to their surface electrical charge.
The crew is also credited with effecting an in-flight repair which enabled them
to activate the first operational "Getaway Special" -- comprised of nine
experiments that range from algae and duckweed growth in space to fruit fly and
brine shrimp genetic studies. STS-4 completed 112 orbits of the earth before
landing on a concrete runway at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on July 4,
1982.
Hartsfield was next spacecraft commander of STS 41-D which launched from
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1984. The crew included Mike
Coats (pilot), Judy Resnik, Steve Hawley and Mike Mullane (mission
specialists), and Charlie Walker (payload specialist). This was the maiden
flight of the Orbiter Discovery. During the six-day mission the crew
successfully activated the OAST-1 solar cell wing experiment, deployed three
satellites, SBS-D, SYNCOM IV-2, and TELSTAR 3-C, operated the CFES-III
experiment, the student crystal growth experiment, and photography experiments
using the IMAX motion picture camera. The crew earned the name "Icebusters"
when Hartsfield successfully removed a hazardous ice buildup from the Orbiter
using the Remote Manipulator System. STS 41-D completed 96 orbits of the earth
before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1984.
On his third flight, Hartsfield was spacecraft commander of STS 61-A, the West
German D-1 Spacelab mission which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
on October 30, 1985. His crew included Steve Nagel (pilot), Jim Buchli, Guy
Bluford and Bonnie Dunbar (mission specialists), and Reinhard Furrer, Ernst
Messerschmid, and Wubbo Ockels (payload specialists). The seven-day mission
was the first with eight crew members, and the first Spacelab science mission
planned and controlled by a foreign customer. More than 75 scientific
experiments were completed in the areas of physiological sciences, materials
processing, biology, and navigation. After completing 111 orbits of the earth,
STS 61-A landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on November 6, 1985.
With the completion of this flight, Hartsfield has logged 483 hours in space.
From 1986-1987 Mr. Hartsfield served as the Deputy Chief of the Astronaut
Office. In 1987, he became the Deputy Director for Flight Crew Operations,
supervising the activities of the Astronaut Office and the Aircraft Operations
Division at the Johnson Space Center.
In 1989, he accepted a temporary assignment in the Office of Space Flight, NASA
Headquarters, Washington D.C. There he served as Director of the Technical
Integration and Analysis Division reporting directly to the Associate
Administrator for Space Flight. In this assignment he was responsible for
facilitating the integration of the Space Station and its unique requirements
into the Space Shuttle systems. His office also served as a technical forum
for resolving technical programmatic issues.
In 1990, Mr. Hartsfield accepted another temporary assignment as the Deputy
Manager for Operations, Space Station Projects Office, at the Marshall Space
Flight Center, Alabama. In that capacity he was responsible for the planning
and management of Space Station Operations and Utilization Capability
Development and operations activities including budget preparation. Later in
that assignment he also acted as the Deputy Manager for the Space Station
Projects Office.
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Mr. Hartsfield is currently the Man-Tended Capability
(MTC) Phase Manager, Space Station Freedom Program and Operations (SSFPO), with
a duty station at the Johnson Space Center. Reporting directly to the Deputy
Director (SSFPO), he represents the Deputy Director in providing appropriate
program guidance and direction to the Space Shuttle Program, and across the
Space Station Freedom Program for all MTC phase mission unique activities to
assure appropriate resolution of issues.
FEBRUARY 1992